Summary
Emily Scarratt, a former England rugby player, is stepping into a coaching role for the national team in the Women's Six Nations tournament. The presence of female coaches makes a substantial impact on women's sports teams, emphasizing the importance of diversity in coaching staff. World Rugby and FIFA have been increasing efforts to include more female coaches in women's sports.
Key Facts
- Emily Scarratt, a former England player, will be the lead attack and backs coach for England's team in the 2026 Women's Six Nations.
- Scarratt previously played a dual role as a player-coach at Loughborough Lightning before retiring.
- The percentage of female coaches at the 2021 Women's World Cup was 15%, increasing to 32% at the following World Cup.
- World Rugby set a goal for 40% female coaches, which was not met in the last tournament.
- FIFA now requires women’s teams to have at least one female head coach or assistant coach in tournaments.
- England's team includes notable female coaches like Scarratt and her former teammate Sarah Hunter, who is the defense coach.
- Head coach John Mitchell indicated support for promoting female coaches within the Rugby Football Union (RFU).
- Scarratt and Hunter have over 260 international caps between them, indicating a wealth of experience.
